Welcome to Istanbul
by TheQuietforest
Summary: After his daughter's death, Ebenezar McCoy wants to go and kill something. Fate seems to oblige as he's unknowingly conscripted into the Venatori, and goes under orders to Istanbul. He then proceeds to kick ass, Blackstaff style.
1. An Unexpected Journey

Ebenezar opened his eyes slowly, groaning as he pushed himself off the cold floor. He stared blankly for a moment at the room around him, until the events of last night returned in a rush; Some bastard Warden smugly informing him of Margaret Le Fay's death, unknowing of the pain it caused. All of his sadness, anger, and despair transfused into his magic and aimed on one man, no one thing! Raith. He recalled the preparation, setting up the incense, the candles, all of it had refined his power.

As he remembered it rushing out of him, the grim satisfaction that Raith would be smote down to whatever hell he deserved, he remembered the oddest sensation. His magic had faded away, not being deflected by another source of magic, but sliding off his target. He tried to comprehend what had occurred, but it just didn't make sense. He had never felt or seen anything else like it in his considerably long life. He remembered consciousness slipping away as the magic rushed out of him and was nullified on this foreign force. Despite his ignorance, he knew at the core of his being that it didn't belong in this world. He sighed, most of the stuff he crossed paths with these days didn't, he couldn't help but be amazed at people's capacity to remain ignorant.

Ebenezar's anger had disappeared now; it couldn't aid him. All that remained was the black shadow of despair and the knowledge that, despite his best efforts, he had failed her. He was bereft of even vengeance to satisfy him. He sighed in his pain, examining the subterranean basement of his Missourian home. His greater silver circle was still infused with power, with a flick of his finger, he released it. He remembered with nostalgia the day back in the 1840's when he had bought it, but he shook the errant thought from his head. That had been over a century ago, and he need to focus on the here and now. What next.

Ebenezar stooped down, gathering up the half melted candles and placing them in the pockets of his black robes. He directed his gaze at the side of the cavern and exhaled in annoyance. The wall was piled with shelves of various tablets, books, and other magical supplies. He grumbled under his breath, walked to the nearest table and haphazardly placed the candles upon it. He'd regret that later, but now wasn't the time.

As he finished, he felt a flare of awareness spring into his mind. His wards had been tripped by something powerful. It didn't seem to have malevolent intent, but Ebenezar grabbed his stumpy staff to prepare for the possibility. It flared with brilliant emerald light, his emotions were running high. Whoever, or hopefully whatever it was, he doubted it was as dangerous as him.

Ebenezar dashed up the creaking wooden stairs, recording the creaking in some vestige of his mind . He knew that everyone died someday, but his death wasn't going to from a collapsing set of stairs, not if he could help it. He reached the fake wall at the top and opened it with an impatient gesture. He strode out of his abode and into his spartan mansion, closing the wall behind him. He ignored his few tapestries of bygone wars, including a couple with the original Merlin, and marched by his kitchen, grabbing his steel rings just in case.

He took control over his emotions, channeling them through his staff. He was prepared, if necessary, to blast whoever dared intrude onto his land into oblivion. Standing back from the door he made a sharp motion with the staff in his left hand: the elegant double doors flew inwards. Ebenezar was shocked enough to release the power he had been channeling, his staff dropping to his side as the runes twinkled out. The Gatekeeper stood tall and gaunt in front of him, dressed in the semi-formal robes of the Senior council.

"Were you going to kill me before or after saying hello?" The Gatekeeper inquired wryly, his Middle Eastern accent placing the slightest drawl on his words.

Ebenezar stood speechless for one of the first times in his life, his bushy eyebrows up in surprise.

"I didn't notice you, Rashid," he gruffly admitted. "These days one can never be too prepared."

As he spoke he glanced at Rashid's staff. It was different than usual: an hourglass shone brightly near the knob with what seemed to be the eye of Horus on either side. Normally runes were either to strengthen or channel a wizards power, but the symbols he saw were different.

His focus was wrenched back as Rashid asked "May I come in for a moment?"

Ebenezar paused for a moment, considering the possibility that the man in front of him was a shapeshifter. He blinked, and when he opened his eyes again he opened the Sight along with them, just for a second. He Saw Rashid through his Council robes; a figure cloaked in gray mist and mystery, exuding both great power and wisdom. This was someone he could trust. However, it was none of those details which captured the authority of his attention. The staff which Rashid leaned on seemed alive with power, tendrils of magic crept from its core, reaching out towards everything around it. He could feel its aura burning into the back of his retinas, and as quick as he could Ebenezar closed his eyes again. The image stayed, ringing through the corners of his mind.

He took a deep breath while fortifying his mind, thrusting the Sights to some inner vestige of his mind, hoping to minimize what he had seen. It was a forlorn hope.

"You may come in if you need to sir," Ebenezar announced, opening his eyes gradually, "but now isn't the best time."

"I understand," Rashid replied softly, looking on with kind concern. "I have experienced losses quite similar, I had a family too once..."

Everyone had a family, but he doubted anyone knew the truth behind The Gatekeeper's past, or what he did with his time for that matter.

"..but it is of utmost importance, and it may involve acts of which only you are capable of completing," Rashid finished, his speech elegant and understanding.

Rashid was a mysterious man, and Ebenezar had always wondered about him: his native country, how old he was, he didn't even know his last name! Then again, now wasn't the time to wonder or ask questions.

With a nod he motioned follow me, and began walking into the heart of his house. Rashid smoothly followed, his black robes swirling around his his hiking boots as he walked. Ebenezar returned the way he had come, boots smacking lightly against the wooden floor. They quickly reached the kitchen, his private one. He had a separate kitchen and dining room for the occasional war councils which he held. It contained a countertop in the center, numerous shelves stuffed with food, and a wooden stove stuffed to one side. He had learned long ago the dangers of gas stoves, and he didn't want to face that near death experience again.

"You can sit there," Ebenezar pointed towards the oaken table, with six chairs resting near it. "Want anything to drink? I've got coffee," Ebenezar inquired, yawning as he spoke.

"I'm afraid I can't partake, what you Americans drink now days can not truly be considered 'coffee'," Rashid intoned with an amused smile. He had pushed the cowl back from his face, revealing the tanned, age-wrinkled skin underneath. "Either way, I have matters of great importance which I must soon deal with."

"I presume you already tried to kill Raith," The Gatekeeper inquired.

Ebenezar paused in his work, carefully considering his options. Blackstaff or not, an attack on the White Court was still a breach of the Accords, and thereby illegal. Although the White Court were a bunch of soul-sucking, manipulative, evil bastards, he wasn't supposed to be gunning for them without the authority of the White Council. Knowing Wardens, such an act could easily be interpreted as treason. Trigger happy didn't even get close to accurately describing them.

"What do you know of him," he asked casually, wondering what The Gatekeeper had to say on the subject.

"Raith's protected from all magical attacks, don't try to go after him again," Rashid brusquely warned.

"Don't be ridiculous, I'm not a rash stripling anymore," he objected, simultaneously thinking how to get around a direct order from a member the Senior Council. "What sort of protection, the White Court aren't wizards."

"Trust me," Rashid muttered darkly, his face becoming darker and sharper, "you want to know neither the means by which his protection was obtained, nor the things it involves. It belongs not in this world," Rashid spat out in a vehement undertone.

Ebenezar narrowed his eyes slightly; to affect Rashid so difinitively it must be serious. He would need to reconsider attacking Raith, it was definitely worth remembering.

"However, thats not the main reason I came here," Rashid informed him suddenly, lightening the mood considerably, "I have a small favor which may involve your considerable skills." He paused for a moment.

"Travel to Istanbul," Rashid announced confidently, his rich voice pronouncing the word with native emphasis.

Ebenezar stood near the counter, expectantly awaiting further instructions. An awkward silence fell for a second, then two…

He cleared his throat unsurely "Ahem, what exactly do you want me to do there," he questioned.

"Oh you don't need to worry about any of that, I'm sure you'll find out soon enough," Rashid remarked with a conspiring grin, his eyes twinkling. Although exactly who he was conspiring with Ebenezar didn't know. "More importantly, however, don't interact with any members of the White Council, this must be done with absolute secrecy," he ordered, "do you understand?"

"Yes sir!" Ebenezar replied instinctively, not really understanding at all.

"You have considerable talents, and if necessary you can investigate and find out what you need to know," Rashid informed him. "Now I must go, thank you for your hospitality."

The Gatekeeper stood up, pushing the chair back from the table. "Good luck." With a graceful bow he exited the room with his quiet tread.

Ebenezar shook his head slightly, wondering what all of that had been about. To say that Rashid was mysterious was to say that Morgan was stubborn, or that Kremmler had been misguided. He poured himself a cup of coffee, his mind spinning with questions and probabilities. He brought the cup to his lips, "Damn," he muttered as he burned his lips on the scalding liquid. He groaned, feeling that this was going to be a rough week. Rough, as it turned out, didn't even come close to describing it.

**Authors Note: I would like to thank TheFreakWithTheWings for inspiring me to write, and beta-reading my story. Furthermore, any comments, critiques, and reviews would be excellent.**


	2. The Journey Begins

After Rashid left, Ebenezar began to tramp around the house, preparing the items that he would need. He went back down the stairs into his subterranean basement, pausing in front of the various shelves while he considered what he knew.

Istanbul, he mused, what would he meet there? Better to err on the side of power then get killed by some annoying threat he hadn't seen coming. He grabbed a knapsack from a dusty corner, a tribute to his younger years.

His eyes roamed the objects, before going over to a relatively new shelf containing his most recently enchanted weapons. He tucked a blasting rod carefully into the bag, before pausing in front of the lead sealed container. Ebenezar narrowed his eyes, before swiftly opening the container and withdrawing a small bag; he hated poltergeists. His eyes roamed to the left, causing him to grin devilishly as he withdrew his favorite collection of steel energy rings.

Moving to his more mundane weapons, he thrust a pair of recently bought pistols into his belt, before his eyes gleefully rested on his trusty double barrel shotgun. There was no way in hell he was leaving that behind, so he added it to his knapsack as well. He grabbed a Civil war cavalry sword and a knife that had been lying side by side. He carefully scrutinized the enchantments on each, before tucking the knife into his overall pocket and sword into his knapsack.

Ebenezar considered his huge armory of steel weapons, before disregarding the notion. His cavalry swords were steel, and, if necessary, he could obtain some iron once he reached Istanbul.

After he grabbed a few of his more experimental items, he carried his considerably heavier load back up the stairs. He closed the entrance to the basement behind him, again contemplating the situation before him. He didn't care about the temperature or the culture there; he had been wearing overalls for over a century, and he wasn't going to stop now.

With that determined, he treaded out of his humble mansion and looked out onto his spacious lawn. Ebenezar partook a short moment of nostalgia, wondering when he was going to return, before continuing down his sidewalk. He paused before he reached his Ford pickup, and took his staff in his left hand. Muttering under his breath he quickly reinforced and checked the considerable wards surrounding his house. It should be more than safe during his absence.

His Ford pickup truck might have been over three decades old, but it didn't sputter or explode like some of the other vehicles he'd driven. The nearest way was only a few miles away, and he drove quickly down the dirt roads in his tranquil part of southern Missouri. He veered off, a mile down the road, taking a left onto an even more archaic path.

He parked the truck near the roadside, not bothering to lay any enchantments upon it. After all, this part of Missouri was so uninhabited and his truck was so old he doubted anyone would give it a second glance. He grabbed his staff and thrust the knapsack over his shoulder, before striding off the rode onto a deer path towards the swamp in the distance.

Ebenezar slowed as he reached the edge of the stealth, slowing his pace and moving his feet stealthily. He carefully scanned the woods around him, extending his senses as he did so. He had learned never to let anyone, or more importantly anything, sneak up on him. As he reached the swamp he paused for a moment, ensuring that nothing was aware of his presence. For safety's sake he cast a slight veil over himself, before entering the overbearing silence of the swamp.

He continued down a snaking path, carefully avoiding any contact with the entangling vines that extended down from the foliage above. He soon reached a small circular clearing deep in the swamp where moonlight streamed in from the waxing moon overhead. He didn't understand the magic behind it, but the Nevernever opposite to this point had a connected series of Ways, perfect for long distance travelling. This included one of the most direct routes to Istanbul he had been able to find.

Ebenezar pulled out his staff, whispering "Aparterum," as he seamlessly cut a rift between worlds. Quietly, he slipped out of this world, closing it carefully behind him.

He appeared at the crossroads, just as he had expected. They were made by some type of hardened magma, and were elevated over the magma fields below. He wrinkled his nose at the stench of burnt rubber, or he considered, whatever the counterpart was in this part of the Nevernever. Rocky stalagmites hung from the ceiling above, and pools of molten lava bubbled up on the plains beside the roads. Ebenezar firmly gripped his staff in his left hand, and checked his various pockets carefully. Although guns failed to fire in certain regions, he knew from experience that this wasn't one of them.

He started briskly down the path he had committed to memory long ago. His memories of Margaret were slowly seeping back into his mind, and his rage was building. At this point Ebenezar wouldn't mind a little a little conflict: crushing something would be… enjoyable.

Fate obliged him.

Some lesser demon sprang out of a lava pool to his left with inhuman quickness. Its body was covered in reptilian scales, and from its hand gnarled claws extended. Its eyes blazed with a fiendish light and it held small balls of blue fire cupped it its hands. At the apex of its leap it tossed both fireballs at Ebenezar's head, while reaching down towards him with claws and fangs extended.

Ebenezar whirled, a vicious smile playing on his features, as he knocked both fireballs away with a contemptuous flick of his staff. He dropped the knapsack he had been carrying in his right hand, before bringing it back towards the leaping fire demon. He muttered "Forzae," releasing a blast of raw kinetic force from his staff, while simultaneously unleashing an emerald blast from the steel ring on his right hand.

The forces intersected the falling demon from slightly different angles, generating a loud snapping sound from the demons body. It was sent hurtling in an awkward spin off into the distance. Ebenezar paused for a moment, part of him hoping it would return. He noted, with annoyance, that he had been a bit too liberal with his kinetic ring, he had no idea when he would get a chance to recharge it.

He started whistling to himself as he continued striding down the path, his spirits buoyed by the recent violence. He spun his staff with experienced ease as he walked, perhaps going another half mile before he sensed a disturbance around him.

A group of demons appeared from the lava pools around him, surrounding him from all sides. They came in a variety of sizes: from the clear leader, who stood tall with a bulky nine feet in height, to a squat demon of just under five. There were seven in total, and they landed in pairs, looking for direction from the solitary leader blocking his path.

The leader spoke with a gravelly voiced, clearly unused to the English tongue; "Honored foe, thee need not advance on the path which thou hath chosen, turn back! And thy life shall be preserved."

Ebenezar bowed deeply, slipping his knapsack off his shoulder. "May I have a short time to consider your unanticipated offer," he stalled, slowly reaching with his right hand until it closed on the carefully crafted hilt of his double barrel shotgun.

With a flourish he straightened up, shotgun grasped and pointed at the leading fire demon. It's fiery eyes stared uncomprehendingly back at Ebenezar, precisely down the barrel, as he released both rounds towards its ugly mug.

With that, all Hell broke loose.

The leader staggered backward, howling in agony as the rest stood for a bare second in shocked surprise. Ebenezar had memorized the formation the moment they had appeared, noting two on all sides with the exception of the now injured leader.

He whipped his right hand at the leader, emitting a burst of emerald light, which sent it tumbling backwards. As he began his attack he whirled left, lifting his staff and shouted "Dispertius gravitus" as he did so. The ground ruptured beneath the two monsters on his left, and a wave of stalactites crashed downwards from the ceiling with monumental forced. A short cry was followed by a loud crunch, as they were simultaneously crushed under the powerful earth magic.

He finished his turn with breathtaking ease, now facing the two that had been at his rear, with staff extended. The four remaining demons, although they were such pathetic creatures it pained him to call them such, recovered from their surprise quickly. They lifted their arms in tandem, glowing balls of blue fire gathering around their hands. They released in quick succession, each discharging flickering tendrils of power as they sailed through the air.

Ebenezar snorted in contempt, extending his staff and muttering "defendarius" as he did so. The balls of flame winked out of existence as an invisible plane of defense magic absorbed them. They charged forwards, hidden claws erupting from their reptilian fingers. Ebenezar dropped the shotgun, bringing his right hand up in a slashing motion as he released the remaining pent up energy in his steel ring. The two demons to his front were sent tumbling backwards through the air and off the path with vicious force. Ebenezar turned to face the remaining two with his staff extended and adrenaline coursing through his body.

The other two were in midair, their gnarled claws extended and their faces twisted in inhuman rage as they rushed towards him. Ebenezar growled "Flammamurus infrigia" with desperate quickness, his rage, fear, and loss rushing through the stuff and into the ground below them. He could feel the energy rush out of him; he was beginning to tire.

The ground fissured beneath the leaping demons, and magma spewed forth from the superheated earth, intercepting the fiery monsters in midair. It surrounded them in a viscous ball of magma, and their momentum almost carried them through. But not quite.

One became completely encased in the magma, as the magma instantaneously cooled, while the other demon was encased up to it's thigh in now hardened rock. It struggled desperately, it's body writhing in a forlorn attempt to escape the small boulder that now entrapped it. It quickly realized the hopelessness, and awkwardly twisted its torso towards Ebenezar, who was standing a few meters away.

It bared its yellow fangs, its eyes glittering with an inhuman emotion as it gathered flames in its hands for a desperate attack. It never got the chance.

As soon as it stopped thrashing, Ebenezar whipped out his six-shooter, taking careful aim at the demon's head. He fired thrice in quick succession, calmly watching as it dissolved.

Ebenezar heard the sound of feet pounding the ground behind him, and turned again with his gun instinctively extended. The leader was pounding towards him, his scaly flesh slowly healing from where it had been rent apart by the recent shotgun blast.

It held a broadsword low to the ground in both hands, although where the Hell it had come from Ebenezar had no idea. Garish flames flickered from hilt to tip, illuminating the dark metal material from which it had been forged.

Ebenezar fired his pistol thrice more, cursing as the bullets barely slowed it down. He threw the gun at the charging demon to gain a few moments, while he grabbed his oaken staff with both hands. He infused it with his will in an attempt to deflect the coming blow, muttering "Tornarius."

The demon bellowed and released a vicious uppercut with all of its supernatural strength behind it.

The staff and sword crossed with a brilliant blaze of light, as the counteracting magics reacted with monumental force. Ebenezar was flung bodily backwards, his staff wrenched from his hands and sent flying off the path and onto the rocky earth below. Too far to reach in time.

The demon was flung backwards too, its sword landing only a few feet away. He groaned as he scrambled to his feet, his bones aching from the pounding he had just received. It was retrieving its broadsword, giving him a moment's respite, before it turned to face him once again.

Ebenezar paused for a moment considering, before lashing out with his left hand to release a burst of emerald light. This time the demon was prepared, and counteracted the kinetic attack with some form of rudimentary magic shield. The result was it merely stumbled a pace backwards, before regaining its footing and starting to advance. It was warier this time.

This was no mere weakling to be crushed with a petty strike, he'd need something more substantial. He pulled his hand into the overall pocket, retrieving something that seemed akin to a pocketknife.

The demon paused its wary advance, bewildered at the weapon with which he was being confronted until Ebenezar muttered "Ferro galvinius." The knife expanded rapidly, reaching its full length as a Civil War cavalry sword in a matter of seconds: a twin to the sword that lay in his knapsack, near the demons feet. When it reached its full length its runes glimmered with a burst of emerald light, before lightning streamed into the blade with a blinding flash.

He noticed with a start of surprise that the two demons he had recently pummeled had returned, but were watching from a considerable distance. Why would they do that? Was it possible for a demon to have honor?

They advanced towards each other with swords raised, until they stood a mere few meters apart. The demon surged forward with breathtaking quickness, delivering a side cut towards his head. Ebenezar whipped his sword to parry, and lightning and fire clashed with a screeching clang. Ebenezar responded with a thrust, but his foe sidestepped, flicking his sword again towards his head. He brought his sword up, using the momentum to block the blow. They both moved back, carefully considering their next moves.

It lunged forwards again, delivering a crushing overhand blow. It was all brute force he noted. He raised his blade to parry the blow, locking blades with the demon. The demon exerted leverage on the blade, snarling as Ebenezar's blade moved downward inch by inch. He couldn't win with sheer strength.

For an instant he released his left hand, making a hurried movement with his steel ring. He directed the force at the demon's sword, blasting it from the leader's hands. It staggered backwards in surprise, staring foolishly at it's now empty hands.

Ebenezar lunged forward, plunging his sword into it's unprotected chest. He snarled "Fulminas," releasing a burst of willpower threw the sword and into the demon. Lightning rushed from the blade, shearing the demon in half with a bolt of raw power. Its top and bottom half fell separate ways, before it slowly dissolving.

He turned towards the minions who had been watching, but they were already fleeing to escape his wrath. Ebenezar gazed at the carnage surrounding him with grim satisfaction. After all, the only got what they had asked for.

He retrieved his staff and knapsack before continuing on his merry way.

Authors Note: Again, I would like to thank TheFreakWithTheWings for beta-reading Welcome to Istanbul. Furthermore, any comments, critiques, and reviews would be excellent.

**I know you might be a little bored at the pace of plot development, but don't worry, that will arrive soon. Enjoy!**


	3. The Arrival

As Ebenezar continued down the blackened path, the surroundings of the Nevernever slowly morphed around him. Varieties of magma gave way to packed dirt, and the cavern ended, revealing some dismal twilight air. He felt the air condensing around him, attempting to weigh him down with its melancholy feel, but he brushed it aside with an experienced force of will. He was nearing the end of his journey when he heard faint horns reverberate from the distance.

A shiver went through him; he'd heard that noise before, a long time ago in a place much darker than this. No other horn could inspire the terror which was building up within him. It sounded again, closer this time.

It interrupted his thoughts, allowing him to break free of the distractions which had been holding his mind. He broke into a disciplined run, his feet pounding the hardened earth. Only a little bit further he thought to himself.

The landscape around him transformed from a barren plains to a thick coniferous forest. The pines congealed around the path like smoke, surrounding the few feet wide path with murky trees.

The horn rang out again, long and fierce. They were closing.

Ebenezar quickened his pace, breathing more heavily now. He risked a glance over his shoulder.

Vague shapes of could be seen in the distance, clouds of dust roiled up from beneath their feet while storm clouds gathered over their heads. A flash of lightning burst through the sky, illuminating the hordes which were chasing him. The Wild Hunt.

He was sprinting now, and his memory told him the clearing was almost in sight. He cursed himself under his ragged breaths for not jogging more often. His feet were getting sore and his breath more irregular. The horn rang again. Closer.

He could see the clearing, he was almost there! A spear whistled through the air, sailing a few feet over his head and into the foliage on his left. Pointing his staff behind him he snarled "defendarius," leaving a viscous blue shield in his wake. He brought his staff around and haphazardly tore a portal in the clearing ahead. Multiple beings slammed into his shield, one after another. It flickered momentarily, and Ebenezer stumbled before he forced more power into the shield. It held.

He reached the clearing and leapt through the portal, turning sideways and slashing his staff in mid jump to release the shield and close the portal.

The moment before the portal faded, he heard an inhuman wail of rage; the Hunt was angered at the escape of it's prey.

Finally, he had arrived in Istanbul. He was going to murder Rashid the next time he saw him.

He had landed in a dazed heap with his head ringing. He groaned as he pushed himself onto his knees, he was getting too old for this. His head stopped pounding, and his eyes slowly came into focus as he took stock of the situation.

Good, he thought, just where I had expected. He was in the backroom of a mosque in the Southern portion of Istanbul. There was a simple glass window on one side, from which faint moonlight drifted in. A prayer mat had been placed carefully on the floor, and a small bookshelf was on the far side of the room. A small copy of the Koran had reverently been placed on the table near the door, but otherwise the room was bare. Rashid had organized a system of safe houses across the Middle East. Ebenezar knew of a couple in Istanbul.

He stood slowly, his muscles panging with dull aches and pains. He leaned against the nearby wall, considering his knowledge of the events which had occurred. One of the most important skills of a wizard was preparation, and right now he knew diddly-squat. It was very odd that so many creatures had attacked him in such a short period of time. Perhaps, just maybe, a group of lesser demons would attack him in the Nevernever, but the Wild Hunt? The memories of the last time they'd met made him shudder; this was way too coincidental, and he had the instinctive feeling that things were only going to get worse.

He walked over to the door and opened it, looking into the hallway beyond. He noticed a plain white tunic with a turban hanging on a hook beside it. There was a note:

"The enchantments you requested have been completed. The local inn is assumed to be safe, but there have been recent warnings that the enemy has breached our communications. They've thoroughly infiltrated the palace, and the situation is being regarded as dire. Reinforcements may come in time, but the War has sprung up throughout the World, and our resources are spread thin. İyi şanslar.

This was no small favor. He was now the part of some Council "war" of some sort. This was why he prefered to stay on his farm; more relaxation and spellwork, less chances for painful death by malicious immortal entities. It also implied that he was the one asking, which implied that someone else had been planning to come. Rashid perhaps?

Ebenezar ran his hands over the white tunic, evaluating the enchantments which had been emplaced. They were excellently done; Ebenezar maybe could have done it, but it would have taken long hours of very delicate work. As much raw power as he had, delicate work was not his area of expertise. That was why he was the Blackstaff.

The cloth would stop bullets and swords, to a degree. It wouldn't wear down easily either, and the material would absorb dirt stains with ease. A second later he realized it was made to disguise blood not dirt, similar to a Warden's cloak. The best enchantment had been laid on the turban; it would disguise him as a Muslim cleric. His skin tone would be darkened, and his figure manipulated for the benefit of watching eyes. It would turn him from an American into an everyday Turkish cleric. He wondered only briefly what the hell he was getting himself into before he threw them on over his overalls. They weren't sized perfectly, but it was well worth the discomfort.

The tunic had a variety of spacious pockets, perfect for his various assortment of hidden weaponry. He slipped a couple of six shooters, while removing his spent energy ring and replacing it with two more from his knapsack. Finally, he slipped the knife into his pocket, before carefully analyzing the remaining contents. They'd be safe here, and he could always retrieve them if the necessity arose. Nonetheless, he stared nostalgically at his double barrel shotgun, before placing it reverently back in his knapsack. As much as he loved it's mundane power, clerics weren't expected to carry heavy weaponry. He absentmindedly wondered when he'd be able to try out an RPG, he'd heard they were excellent.

He kept his shoes, because the tunic would effectively covered his legs. He could only hope he wouldn't need to be sprinting anywhere. Ebenezar walked back into the room, carefully raising the prayer mat and placing his knapsack into a small cavity beneath. He went back into the hallway, and walked towards the opposing door.

There was a worn bag stuffed full of Turkish currency. Although the bag was old, the currency was fresh. It looked as though it had been printed straight of the mint. Then again, for all he knew that was perfectly possible.

He picked what seemed to be around 5,000 Turkish dollars and folded them carefully into his tunic. He noticed a checkbook, and took it for good measure. Whoever these guys were, they could spare the money, plus Ebenezar's week had already gone to hell; they owed him.

His work there being done, he exited the hallway and entered the magnificent mosque beyond. Although it was by no means the largest in Istanbul, it's main room was large, and Arabic calligraphy spread beautifully across it's interior.

It was around midnight, he realized, and the mosque was almost empty. A few lone imams were playing in some overnight vigil. Ebenezar weaved his way across the room, treading quietly to avoid disturbing them. He didn't know how much they knew. He sensed the faith infusing the air around him, it was surprising how similar it was to churches he had been to. Faith was still faith, wherever you went.

He began to lean on his staff, hunching his shoulders slightly as he neared the door. He opened the door with his right hand, leaving the safety of faith in favor of the crisp night air.

The moment he crossed the threshold he felt the atmosphere change around him, the slightest tremor of Black magic could be felt in the air. It wasn't a stuffy blanket of darkness, just the barest feeling that something wasn't right. He doubted to many of the civilians had noticed the difference. Nonetheless, it felt like the calm before the storm. Trouble was brewing.

With no pedestrians in sight he forsook his act, walking swiftly to a nearby hotel which he recalled from a past visit. Ebenezar kept a careful eye on his surroundings while he did so.

The street he walked down was cobbled with old stones. The houses strewn along the roadside were proud, but their age was showing. He was in the older part of the city, and a few houses here and there were falling into shambles. Ebenezar noticed a pair of figures marching in tandem from a distance. Thinking quickly, he slipped into a cozy alleyway, casting a veil over himself as he moved.

The pair marched closer. They were dressed in army fatigues, with symbols of the Ottoman military on their breast. They casually carried AK-47's over their shoulders, while there boots clacked on the cobbled road.

Their eyes scanned back and forth across the road, their faces devoid of expression. Ebenezar reached out with his magical senses as they passed. They were human, but something felt wrong. As the sound of their boots faded, it hit him. Thralls.

He cursed himself for not putting it together sooner. Why else would Rashid need the Blackstaff? A moment later, the ramifications hit him. Those were members of the Turkish army, patrolling the city! If they were thralls, then this wasn't an isolated threat, but some supernatural coup d'etat! If the human governments realized what had happened...there'd be hell to pay. With this new threat of nuclear weapons, they might even be stupid enough to destroy the planet. This had to be resolved. Quickly. Before some idiots started asking questions that couldn't be "logically" answered.

He released the magic, before carrying on down the street. He reached a quaint little hotel, his mind dulled from his use of magic and musings. He walked to the front desk, and asked the Muslim man for a room key in halting Turkish. The receptionist eagerly helped him, taking his money and giving him a room on the second floor.

Ebenezar thanked him, nodding his head in respect. He only gave the virtually empty room a cursory glance before stumbling up the wooden stairs, leaning heavily on his staff. It took him a couple of attempts to fit the key into the hole, and he staggered into his room. The days events had exhausted him, and he barely managed managed to construct a clumsy ward before slipping into the arms of Morpheus.

As Ebenezar stumbled up the stairs, a concealed figure rose from his chair in a back corner of the lobby.

Interesting, it mused to itself, this wasn't whom it had been told to expect. Yet, clearly this was one of those Venatori it'd been told to watch out for. His Turkish had been atrocious, with an American accent to boot, and it had smelled the power of the wizards upon him.

It wondered briefly who it was dealing with, before arrogantly shrugging the thought away. It had been alive for over a millennia, and it didn't plan on dying anytime soon. It sped out of the hotel and onto the street with supernatural quickness, the veil it had cast hiding its movements from the mundanes. Its tongue licked its lips absentmindedly, the forked end flickering with the thought of payment.

In less than a minute it entered the new military headquarters in the southern corner of the Palace. It crossed into the main building of the complex, where hundreds of cots laid side by side. The majority were filled with thoughtless thralls, staring blankly at the ceiling. Tomoko smiled viciously, letting its incisors show. Mundanes minds were so weak, enslaving them was an elementary task. After all, it was merely returning them to their original state; the one they deserved.

It left the main room and went to a smaller sub-room, where its imbecilic compatriot lay slumbering in its chair. The desk was covered in various maps and plans, as though Yoko could even begin to comprehend them.

Tomoko growled sharply, "Awaken, you blockhead, the Venatori's alive!"

Yoko awoke with a start, jumping backwards in an instinctive spring, slashing with his katana haphazardly at some invisible foe. Tomoko hated the emperor so much for forcing this idiotic piece of filth upon him.

Tomoko muttered the thought aloud, vehemently pronouncing "idiot," under his breath. His sword materialized in his hand and leapt forward, almost as though it had a mind of its own. Yoko's sword was flung from it's grip, clattering against the wall in a shower of sparks.

Tomoko grabbed Yoko by the throat with one hand and pressed it against the wall with inhuman strength. Yoko's eyes began to bulge, and it's mouth opened and closed like a goldfish dying a torturously slow death out of water. It's arms twitched spasmodically for a moment before going still.

Tomoko hissed, "Listen to me," pausing menacingly between each word. Yoko nodded, his eyes wide with fear. Tomoko released it, and Yoko fell into a crumpled heap on the floor. "This Venatori is a wizard," Tomoko haughtily informed, "Form the troops up and destroy him by dawn.

"What if he kills them," Yoko asked, it's high pitched voice quavering as it scrambled to recover the sword.

Tomoko rolled it's eyes in annoyance. "This has been discussed," it snapped, "wizards are bound by those half-wit laws, killing him with a force your size should be childs play."

Yoko nervously stood back up with sword sheathed and bowed, "Yes Tomoko-san." It twitched one last time before turning and walking out the door.

It frowned in annoyance, it would need to inform their partners that the Venatori had arrived. Tomoko shrugged nonchalantly, even that bumbling buffoon couldn't possibly fail such an easy task. The problem would soon be resolved.

**Author Notes: Danka Shen to TheFreakWithTheWings for beta-reading my story, and giving me a variety of ideas as well.**

**I'm afraid it took me a while to put this chapter up, it is reasonable to expect that I'll put up a chapter every two weeks. Homework can be a real downer. The plot thickens now! But I assure y'all, it will become even thicker as the time go's on.**


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